Tag Archive | "Straits Times"

Posted on 06 April 2017

Singaporeans from all walks of life, who have a low threshold for feel-good news and hold information to high standards of veracity, said they are heartened by the effects of April Fools’ Day on The Straits Times newspaper.

This after they said operating on April 1 made the only English language broadsheet in Singapore appear more credible.

One Singaporean, Tak Sin Boon, said: “Operating on April Fools’ Day allowed The Straits Times to achieve a certain good fit.”

“This was so as they were operating in their natural environment as I am incredulous whenever I read The Straits Times on any other day.”

“As more news coverage on that day were outrageous and fake, this made other news organisations come down a notch to catch up with what The Straits Times has always been excelling at.”

Other Singaporeans said the reason is multi-fold.

Another local, Pian Lang Eh, said: “In comparison to what was getting reported elsewhere on April 1, Straits Times appeared on par in the midst of ludicrous hoaxes.”

At press time, Straits Times has reverted to its less credible mode on April 6 as everywhere else publications were getting serious with their coverage.

Posted on 02 April 2016

Singaporeans from all walks of life, who have a low threshold for feel-good news and hold information to high standards of veracity, said they are heartened by the effects of April Fools’ Day on The Straits Times newspaper.

This after they said operating on April 1 made the only English language broadsheet in Singapore appear more credible.

One Singaporean, Tak Sin Boon, said: “Operating on April Fools’ Day allowed The Straits Times to achieve a certain good fit.”

“This was so as they were operating in their natural environment as I am incredulous whenever I read The Straits Times on any other day.”

“As more news coverage on that day were outrageous and fake, this made other news organisations come down a notch to catch up with what The Straits Times has always been excelling at.”

Other Singaporeans said the reason is multi-fold.

Another local, Pian Lang Eh, said: “In comparison to what was getting reported elsewhere on April 1, Straits Times appeared on par in the midst of ludicrous hoaxes.”

At press time, Straits Times has reverted to its less credible mode on April 2 as everywhere else publications were getting serious with their coverage.

Posted on 07 October 2014

Every time it is mentioned we are degraded, says The Straits Times letter writer.

Take the SIN out of Singapore

SEEING the word “SIN” emblazoned across the chests of our beaming Asian Games athletes (“Finally, a golden day for Singapore”; last Wednesday) evoked a feeling that was somewhat bittersweet.

“SIN” is the International Olympic Committee code for Singapore and is used to represent our country in sporting events. “SIN” is also the International Air Traffic Association code for Changi Airport, the gateway to our country.

Sports and travel are two of the most visible platforms through which we project ourselves to the world. “SIN” is the word projected when we make a name for ourselves on these platforms.

Sin cities of the world are well known, for better or for worse.

Whenever Singapore is elevated into focus, the image must be one that is in keeping with our cultural and social mores.

Singapore is not a sin city. But, with the use of the code “SIN”, the eye will make the association, even if the heart and mind know otherwise.

Is it in our national interest for “SIN” to be associated with Singapore?

We should consider adopting the less-used (but not lesser) code “SGP” instead of “SIN”.

“SGP” is, after all, the United Nations’ country code for Singapore.

Indeed, the Internet domain designation for Singapore is “.sg”.

Furthermore, “SGP” corresponds to the syllables that make up the word “Sin-Ga-Pore”.

It looks better, sounds better and unifies all usage and application.

Andrew Choo Ming Sing

This is a real letter published in The Straits Times Forum on Oct. 6, 2014.

Posted on 05 November 2013

This contradicts earlier statements by ST that wrong date was to confuse the hackers.

“The Messiah” has claimed that members of the activist Internet group Anonymous worked together early this morning to collectively hack The Straits Times print newspaper.

The hackers claim that they are responsible for physically changing the date of print newspapers after they are printed.

They managed to infiltrate individual printed copies and changed the date from Nov. 5 to Oct. 5, proving they have honed their hacking expertise and taken it to a new level.

This is in direct contradiction to ST’s stance earlier that they wanted to confuse the hackers by printing the wrong date today, as a preemptive move to thwart the hackers, in what is turning out to be an increasingly dangerous escalating game of one-upmanship.

Singaporeans from all walks of life are intently watching the next move of both sides.

Pah Ka Luan, a local said: “Today I go buy breakfast order Chwee Kueh but the auntie give me Soon Kueh. The hackers hack the auntie, is it?”

Posted on 04 November 2013

In a dangerous escalating game of one-upmanship, the national broadsheet The Straits Times has tossed in the ultimate trump card: They are reverting back to printed newspapers only in a bid to thwart The Messiah hacker.

Posted on 31 October 2013

The Straits Times has distorted the original message by Anonymous, the hacker collective.

In the original YouTube video, Anonymous specifically addressed their threat to the Singapore government.

——

These are their exact words:

“So mark our words when we say that we Anonymous stand firm on our belief that no Government has the right to deprive their citizens the freedom of information.”

“We demand you reconsider the regulations of your framework or we will be forced to go to war with you. For every single time you deprive a citizen his right to information, we will cost you financial loss by aggressive cyber intrusion. An intrusion your $130 million cyber security will not be able to stop.”

“You may be ambitious enough to try and stop us but remember, the people you are after are the people you depend on:

We cook your meals, we haul your trash, we teach your children, we pay your high salaries, we feed your families, we guard you while you sleep!”

——

However, in the ST report that came out after the Anonymous video went viral, the headline was distorted to be “YouTube video by “Anonymous” hacker group threatens to attack Singapore”.

Attacking Singapore government and attacking Singapore are very different things.

Posted on 21 October 2013

The accused’s lawyer requested court to withhold name, prosecution rolls their eyes had no objections.

A 29-year-old former reporter with The Straits Times was charged in court yesterday with three counts of having consensual sex with a minor.

However, he was not named at the request of his lawyer, who reasoned that withholding the accused’s name is for the sake of the girl, as the court had issued a gag order to not name the girl as she is young.

The SPH local scholar is accused of repeatedly porking the 15-year-old girl in 2011 and 2012.

He joined ST in 2009 but his employment was terminated on Jan. 18 this year.

Singaporeans interviewed said they have no idea who this ST reporter is, as a result of his lawyer’s request to withhold his name.

Bu Zhi Dao, a local, said: “No, no, I don’t know who because I never read his name all over Yahoo! News and numerous online forums earlier this year already.”

“I wonder if the prosecution did not object the lawyer’s request to withhold the name that time they got ahm chio anot?”